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The Druid by S.G. Rogers

published by Musa Publishing

An adventurous woman meets a romantic hero from the pages of a book, bigger than life and twice as Elvish.

Kidnapped from Earth and abandoned in Asgard of Norse mythology, Dani Avery must fight to return home. When she stumbles upon a band of outlaws, Prince Rein agrees to take her to the Rainbow Bridge personally. Although Dani is attracted to the handsome elf, his only interest seems to be in separating her from the magical sword and shield at her side. In Asgard City, rules, regulations and bureaucrats stymie Dani’s quest. Increasingly frustrated and desperate, she seeks help among powerful immortals. Unfortunately, Dani becomes ensnared in a devious trap that may leave her stranded and alone in Asgard forever.

Excerpt

Outside, a flickering light in the adjacent parking area cast a moody pall. Even though the lot was deserted, Dani quickened her pace. Suddenly, out of nowhere, two towering figures with indistinct forms and features pinned her from either side. One of them spoke in a voice that was neither male nor female—or human.

“Druid, we have you at last.”

She was too shocked to react for a moment. But when something like clammy tendrils of rubber cement began to curl around her wrists and upper arms, Dani was galvanized into action. Although she tried to beat the ectoplasm out of her assailants, the tendrils continued to form until she was nearly immobile. Then, the shadowy figures dragged her into another plane of existence.

No longer in the Avery Dry Cleaners parking lot, Dani and her kidnappers had materialized in a field of electric-blue grass laced with broad swaths of green four-leaf clover. The sunlit sky was unlike any Dani had ever seen. The color was a kaleidoscope of intense periwinkle, purples, and pinks, with an occasional silvery wisp floating past. Reminiscent of the aurora borealis, the effect was dazzling, but Dani could scarcely enjoy the view in her current predicament.

She was lying in the grass, trussed up like a turkey, and utterly helpless. Unable to speak because of the rubbery tendrils across her mouth, Dani could only glare at Ninn and Ginn. Moments ago, the creatures had appeared spectral, but now they were vividly clear. They were humanoid, but the facial features under their hooded capes were strangely avian. Ninn prodded Dani’s thigh with the toe of his black boot. “It’s a female,” he chirped.

“I hate to admit it, but this definitely ain’t the Druid.” Ginn massaged his beakish nose, swollen even larger from close contact with Dani’s knuckles. “A shieldmaiden, I’m guessing, from her combat skills,” he said. “What should we do with her?”

“Send her back to Midgard?”

“Can’t. She’ll warn the Druid we’re looking for him.”

“Let’s dump her in Helheim.”

“Ah, that would be too cruel,” Ginn said. He gave a diabolical chuckle. “But I like it.”

Who is your favorite mythological character?

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Summary: Minna’s father hates wizards, so Minna has had to keep her secret powers hidden from him. When the head of the wizard school and his protege show up on her doorstep asking for help to seal a rift in the fabric dividing alternate realities, Minna is forced to choose between saving the world and guarding her secret.

Minna and the wizard’s protege set off on their quest to retrieve the magic letter opener and repair the rift, but they get much more than they bargain for when they realize their destinies are connected inextricably on both sides of the rift.

Review: This a short read with a straightforward plot. It was light-hearted and clean, and fun to read. Since I hadn’t read anything from this author before, it gave me a small taste of what to expect from her longer works. As a short story or novella goes, it was well done. It focused on two main conflicts: the rift had to be fixed and the two main characters had to realize they were meant for each other.

If the author wanted to make this into a longer novel, it could easily be done. I definitely would read the longer version as well. It would give more time to develop both conflicts and build suspense. As it is, the characters and setting are well written and offer an enjoyable story, including some surprising twists along the way.

Recommendation: I haven’t read a whole lot of magic/fantasy. The genre makes me a little nervous, but S.G. Rogers did an excellent job with this story. I believe the primary age group is young adult here, but adults who enjoy fantasy will like this as well. A great book to read when you want something light, quick and fun. I give Minna & the Valentine four quills.